Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Twins Top 10 Prospects: Post-Draft Edition

At the end of last week, the Twins added some strong talent to their organization through the MLB Draft. Minnesota's farm system was already considered one of the best in baseball and having another top 5 pick can only help to improve their top level talent.

My last prospect ranking came back when I was helping to put together the "Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook." There have been a few changes to the list as players begin to move closer to the big leagues. Aaron Hicks has graduated off of this list (He had been ranked 4th) and Joe Benson is now with another organization after he had also been in the top 20.

There was a little bit of shifting at the top with a new number one and two new players making the top five. It's an exciting time for the Twins minor leagues and it starts with the players at the top of this list.

1. Byron Buxton (Previous Rank: 2)- OF - Cedar Rapids Kernels
Buxton has been better than the Twins could have ever thought. He has been tearing up the Midwest League to the tune of batting .350/.444/.578 with seven home runs, eight triples, and 14 doubles. Buxton has also been terrific in the field as many fans saw on FSN earlier this week. There is a chance for him to be the number one prospect in all of baseball by the end of the year. Buxton fever is hitting Twins Territory and he is still multiple levels away from making his big league debut.

2. Miguel Sano (1) - 3B- New Britain Rock Cats
Since I started writing this blog back in 2010, Sano has been a regular name that I have penciled in at the top of this list. He might be the best pure power hitter in the minor leagues. So far this season, he destroyed the usually pitcher friendly Florida State League. Over 56 games, he hit .330/424/.655 with 16 home runs and 15 doubles. His defense at third base has been questioned in the past but he continues to improve with 11 errors so far this year. It's not like Sano is doing anything wrong to move out of the number one spot but Buxton has just been that good.

3. Oswaldo Arcia (5) - OF- Rochester Red Wings
Fans have gotten a little taste of Arcia at the beginning of this year. He has been back in forth between Rochester and the MLB club. So far this year, he is hitting .255/.318/.449 with four home runs and five doubles in 30 big league games. The power is definitely there in his swing and he will continue to work to raise some of his other numbers. He's played more games at the MLB level than the Triple-A level so there is a little bit of a rookie learning curve.

4. Eddie Rosario (7) - 2B - New Britain Rock Cats
Rosario continues to be one of the hitting prospects in the organization. His new promotion to the Rock Cats could test some of his skills but he has a very advanced swing for his age. With quick wrists, he is able to send the ball to all fields and he could continue to move quickly through the organization. In 52 games for Fort Myers this year, he batted .329/.377/.527 with six home runs, five triples, and 13 doubles. The former outfielder is in his second year playing second base and there will continue to be some bumps along the way. This year he has four errors in 275 chances at his new position.

5. Kohl Stewart (NR) - RHP
This year's fourth overall pick has yet to sign with the organization but he quickly becomes the team's best pitching prospect. It is going to take him some time to develop in the minor leagues but he could be the ace this team has been searching for since Johan Santana left. Stewart's name will likely be near the top of this list for multiple seasons as he works his way from the lower levels of the minors. He has a killer fastball, a dominant slider, and fans will have to hope he can develop the rest of his pitches along the way. For the first time in his life, he won't be worrying about the up-coming football season and that could be dangerous for opposing batters.

6. Alex Meyer (3) - RHP - New Britain Rock Cats
In his first year in the Twins organization, Meyer has been putting up decent numbers at the Double-A level. The 23-year old righty has posted a 3.69 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 27 walks in 61 innings. His 1.311 WHIP is the highest of his young professional career. He hasn't pitched since June 1st after he felt some discomfort in his throwing shoulder. Hopefully, it is nothing too serious and he just needed to miss a few starts to rest his arm.

7. Jose Berrios (9) - RHP - Cedar Rapids Kernels
A supplemental round pick in last year's draft, Berrios has settled nicely into the rotation for the Kernels. Over 42.1 innings, he has a 3.61 ERA and 50 strikeouts with 12 walks. He is giving up more than a hit an inning but he has the ability to strike batters out and that has been lacking in the Twins system. If Berrios and Stewart can both make it as starters, they could provide a powerful front end of the rotation.

8. Kyle Gibson (8) - RHP - Rochester Red Wings
It shouldn't be long before Gibson joins the rotation of the Minnesota Twins. The club is looking for more consistency out of him on his way back from Tommy John surgery. In his last ten starts, he has an ERA under 3.00 with a 6-3 record. He has pitched close to 80 innings this season with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks. His walk total is higher than most would like but this still shouldn't stop him from becoming part of the Twins rotation for the better part of the next decade.

9. Travis Harrison (11) - 3B - Cedar Rapids Kernels
I have been high on Harrison since the Twins drafted him in the supplemental round of the 2011 Draft. He is beginning to show some of his power potential this season in Cedar Rapids. He has nine home runs and 17 doubles in 61 games. His defense at third base hasn't been the greatest with 12 errors in 57 games. Harrison might have to move from the hot corner but his power is legit.

10. Jorge Polanco (14) - 2B - Cedar Rapids Kernels
There are plenty of prospects up and down the roster for the Kernels. Polanco might get lost in the shuffle but this takes nothing away from his time in the organization. So far this year, the switch-hitting infielder is hitting .291/.342/.447 with 26 extra-base hits. It has been tough for the Twins to develop middle infielders but Polanco is among a promising crop at multiple levels in the system.